Cronulla Sharks offer players payment in return for guilty plea

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SHARKS players have been offered automatic one-year contract extensions as part of an incentive package to voluntarily stand down for six months.

Sources last night confirmed 47 past and present players across the code are in the sights of the Australian Sports Anti-Doping Authority.

Cronulla's offer to 14 players, made on Tuesday, includes:

AN automatic one-year extension on their current contracts to compensate sitting out this season. The value of the extension would also reflect future increases in the salary cap;

AUTOMATIC remuneration of any representative payments or bonuses earned in 2012, based on the assumption those players would achieve the same honours this year;

FULL pay while suspended; and

A WAIVING of all rights to sue the club and its board.

As revealed yesterday, Cronulla have engaged former ASADA senior counsel Richard Redman to cut a deal between the club and the anti-doping watchdog.

Sharks board member Peter Kerr - a successful commercial lawyer - is leading negotiations on behalf of the club. Mr Kerr has also been a member of FINA's doping panel since 2000.

When he addressed players and agents on Tuesday, Mr Kerr strongly advised them to accept the offer in the face of ASADA's evidence regarding inadvertent use of banned peptides in 2011.

The alternative was to risk a maximum two-year ban - and ultimately the termination of their contracts - along with crippling legal bills for those who elect to fight the charges. However, they would still retain their right to sue the club for failing in its duty of care to only provide permitted substances.

Legal action could spell disaster for the NRL's perennial battlers, who will start the season without a major sponsor or stadium backer.

Player agents suspect that is why Sharks directors - who would be personally liable in the event of liquidation - are pushing hard for a deal to be finalised. Mr Redman and the board were still working toward an agreement yesterday, with the board now wavering on the automatic one-year extension clauses.

In the absence of conclusive evidence such as positive tests, the players and their agents are unlikely to agree unless the best possible deal is tabled.

That's not expected until next week, with Cronulla certain to field a full-strength team in their season opener against Gold Coast on Sunday night.

There have also been talks between the agents about obtaining independent legal advice, although it's not certain whether all 14 players will be represented together.

It's possible there could be varying degrees of complicity between the players, who've all been at the club since sports scientist Stephen Dank oversaw its supplement program in 2011.

Eight former Sharks - now at other clubs - are also in the spotlight.

According to sources, ASADA's investigation is targeting 47 players in total - 30 current and 17 retired.

Mr Dank is the central figure in the investigation, having worked at three of the six NRL clubs (Cronulla, Manly and Penrith) mentioned in the Australian Crime Commission (ACC) report into doping, organised crime and match fixing.

He worked at the Sharks for about half the 2011 season before being dismissed after his methods were questioned by Sharks doctor David Givney.

Two peptides - beta thymosin and CJC-1295 - are under the spotlight after being administered to players in the form of a cream and injectable liquid. Mr Dank was hired by Trent Elkin, Cronulla's former strength and conditioning coach who now works at Parramatta.

Mr Elkin has told ASADA officers about Cronulla's supplement program, prompting a "please explain" visit from three senior Sharks - skipper Paul Gallen, Ben Pomeroy and John Morris - to his house on Tuesday night.

Mr Elkin has informed Eels boss Ken Edwards about his involvement and Parramatta officials are so far satisfied he's fit to continue in the role.

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